Unlike most 5.1-channel speaker setups, the Philips Fidelio E6 Wireless Cinema Speakers aren’t meant to be distributed permanently around the room. Instead, they’re actually designed to be set up like traditional speakers, since, according to the company, most people really only use surround sound a few times a week. For those times, though, you can break the speakers apart, pulling out two detachable sections that you can then distribute around the room to get your immersive audio fix.
Philips is calling the design “Sound on Demand,” billing it as a way to have a surround sound setup when you need one, while staying optimized for traditional stereo sound the rest of the time. That way, the living room speakers will be just as good a fit during those times you’re intently watching a movie, as those times you’re watching DIY repair channels on YouTube or listening to music on Spotify.
The Philips Fidelio E6 is a 270-watt wireless system consisting of two speakers and a subwoofer. Each of the speakers come with a second detachable set of speakers on top that you can either place anywhere in the room to create an immersive surround setup or bring along as a standalone Bluetooth speaker, essentially giving you different ways to use a single speaker system. The system is spatially calibrated, so regardless of where you place the speakers for the surround setup, they can adjust to deliver optimal audio after a simple two-step calibration system that can be triggered from the bundled remote. Features include a dedicated center channel for clear voice audio, soft dome tweeters, HDMI 4K2K pass-through for enjoying 4K content, and a downloadable app that you can use as a virtual remote.
Slated for availability in the first quarter, the Philips Fidelio E6 is priced at €899.99.